How to use pineapple to elevate your holiday dishes

Does holiday cooking stress you out? If so, you’re not alone. According to PWC research, 54% of people admit to feeling uptight any time they think about prepping or cooking food for holiday celebrations. Fortunately, stress-free holiday dishes can be possible with the right ingredients.

Executive chef at Dole, James Bickmore-Hutt has ideas for how to elevate your holiday dishes in preparation for the festivities.

“The holiday season is such a busy time of year. It’s also a moment when people are expecting to be ‘wowed’ at mealtime. Selecting high-quality ingredients like canned pineapples can reduce prep work and help you deliver crowd-pleasing dishes quickly, so you can focus on enjoying the season with loved ones.”

Why are pineapples Chef James’ best-kept secret? The pineapples he uses are handpicked at peak ripeness and are a naturally sweeter variety of pineapple. Offered in precut chunks or slices with no sugar added, canned pineapples help home chefs cut down on prep time without sacrificing freshly-packed flavor.

Here are Chef James’ top tips for incorporating them into your seasonal fare:

• Add extra garnishes of pineapple to any holiday dish for a naturally sweet, tropical taste – no need to add extra sugar.

• Pineapples are very juicy, and you can pre-cook dessert filling on the stovetop to thicken the juices. Simply drain the liquid from the can, pour the fruit in a pan, reduce remaining liquid and then combine it with a thickener of your choice before adding back in.

• Let fruit-filled desserts cool for at least two to four hours after baking to allow the filling to fully set.

• For added oomph and flavor in cocktail or mocktail batches, reserve pineapple juice from the same cans used in your food dishes, like a family- favorite pie.

This holiday season, Chef James’ guaranteed crowd-pleaser, Caramelized Pineapple Baked Brie, adds a tropical twist to a traditional spread. Ready in 40 minutes and with just six ingredients, this stressfree appetizer will make your festivities all the more memorable.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 1 can (20 ounces) pineapple chunks in 100% pineapple juice, drained

• 1/4 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary

• 1 tablespoon honey, divided • 1 package (13 ounces) round brie cheese

• 2 tablespoons chopped roasted salted pistachios Instructions:

• Heat butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add pineapple, rosemary and 1 tablespoon honey, stirring occasionally for 6 minutes or until the pineapple is golden brown.

• Line a baking sheet or small baking dish with parchment. Cut the top rind off the brie and discard, placing the remaining portion on the parchment paper.

• Spoon pineapple mixture over the brie. Bake at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and drizzle with the remaining 1 teaspoon of honey before garnishing with pistachios.

To stress less in the kitchen during this year’s holiday festivities, let precut pineapple take center stage for easy preparation of elevated classics.